Salvia plant named ‘MSWNBoyton1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘MSWNBoyton1’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit and vigorous growth habit; bushy appearance; greyish olive green-colored leaves; relatively large inflorescences with pale blue-colored flowers; long flowering period; and relative tolerance to high temperatures and dry or wet conditions.

Botanical designation: Salvia mohavensis x Salvia clevelandii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MSWNBoyton1’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant. Inventor/Applicant claims a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant, botanically known as Salvia mohavensis x Salvia clevelandii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘MSWNBoyton1’.

The new Salvia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Tucson, Ariz. The objective of the breeding program is to create new long-lived Salvia plants with high temperature tolerance, tolerance to dry and wet conditions and long flowering season.

The new Salvia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in May, 2012 of an unnamed selection of Salvia mohavensis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection of Salvia clevelandii, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Salvia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Tucson, Ariz. in May, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Salvia plant by softwood vegetative cuttings in Tucson, Ariz. since May, 2017, has shown that the unique features of this new Salvia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Salvia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘MSWNBoyton1’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘MSWNBoyton1’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit and vigorous growth habit; bushy         appearance.     -   3. Greyish olive green-colored leaves.     -   4. Relatively large inflorescences with pale blue-colored         flowers.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures and dry or wet         conditions.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia have shorter internodes and are         denser than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Salvia have larger inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Salvia are more tolerant to low temperature         and wet conditions than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia have larger inflorescences than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Salvia are lighter blue in color         than flowers of plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Salvia are more tolerant to low temperature         and wet conditions than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of an unnamed selection of Salvia greggii known to the Inventor, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Salvia differed from plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia greggii in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia have greyish olive green-colored         leaves whereas plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia greggii         have green-colored leaves.     -   2. Plants of the new Salvia have larger inflorescences than         plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia greggii.     -   3. Plants of the new Salvia have pale blue-colored flowers         whereas plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia greggii have         pinkish red-colored flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new Salvia are more tolerant to high         temperatures than plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia         greggii.

Plants of the new Salvia can also be compared to plants of an unnamed selection of Salvia chamaedryiodes known to the Inventor, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Salvia differed from plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia chamedryiodes in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Salvia are more upright than and not as low-growing as plans of the unnamed selection of Salvia chamaedryiodes.

-   -   2. Plants of the new Salvia have greyish olive green-colored         leaves whereas plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia         chamaedryiodes have silvery green-colored leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Salvia have larger inflorescences than         plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia chamaedryiodes.     -   4. Plants of the new Salvia are more tolerant to wet conditions         than plants of the unnamed selection of Salvia chamaedryiodes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Salvia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Salvia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘MSWNBoyton1’ grown in container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘MSWNBoyton1’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and summer in containers in outdoor nurseries in Glendale, Ariz. and Fort Worth, Tex. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Salvia production. Plants were three years old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 10° C. to 48° and night temperatures ranged from about 1° C. to 32°. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia mohavensis X Salvia clevelandii     ‘MSWNBoyton1’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Salvia             mohavensis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Salvia             clevelandii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at soil             temperatures about 27° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at soil             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 60 days             at soil temperatures about 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 100 days             at soil temperatures about 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white to light             brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Form.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant form; broad             inverted triangle; flowers arranged on upright terminal             cymes.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching with plants             potentially developing lateral branches at every node.         -   Growth habit.—Vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 38 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 73 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Aspect: Mostly upright; with subsequent             development, decumbent. Texture: Densely covered with very             fine pubescence. Color, developing: Close to 145B. Color,             developed: Close to 178A to 178B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             slightly rugose.         -   Fragrance.—Strongly aromatic.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to NN137B; venation, close to NN137B. Developing and             fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A;             venation, close to 146B.         -   Petiole length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 143A.         -   Petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers             arranged in terminal cymes; flowers face upright to             outwardly depending on position in the inflorescence.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit, numerous             inflorescences each with about 25 to 30 flowers per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering during the             summer in the Southwestern United States; plants re-flower             after removal of fully developed inflorescences.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to ten days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5.5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 2.25 cm. Diameter: About 2             cm.         -   Flowers.—Size: About 6 mm by 7 mm. Depth (height): About 1.1             cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Two, fused at the base. Length, upper             lip: About 1 cm. Length, lower lip: About 9 mm. Width, upper             lip: About 5.5 mm. Width, lower lip: About 6 mm. Shape,             upper lip: Broadly elliptic; apex, rounded; margin, entire.             Shape, lower lip: Spatulate; apex, lobes obtuse; margin,             entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Upper and lower lips, when             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 104B to             104C. Upper and lower lips, when opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 104B to 104C.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused into a tube. Length:             About 7.5 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid.             Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent; matte. Color, upper             surface: Close to 145A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 1.75 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 1 mm. Diameter:             Less than 1 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from vertical             depending on position on the inflorescence. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two;             anthers dorsifixed. Filament length: About 0.1 mm. Filament             color: Close to 157A. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length:             About 0.25 mm. Anther color: Close to 145A. Pollen amount:             None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, two-parted. Stigma             color: Close to 154D. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color:             Close to 154D. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Salvia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Salvia have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Salvia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Salvia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate full sun condition,     partial shade conditions, rain, wind, arid conditions and     temperatures ranging from about −23° C. to 48° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Salvia plant named ‘MSWNBoyton1’ as illustrated and described. 